Sippy Cup with Multiple Valve Configurations

ABSTRACT

A sippy cup assembly including a flow control element having selectable flow controllers thereon allowing a caregiver to selectively control a desired flow condition for the sippy cup assembly.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to beverage containers having liquid flowcontrol devices, and more specifically, relates to a sippy cup having aflow control element having flow controllers thereon providing multipleflow conditions.

BACKGROUND

Sippy cups are generally known in the infant/child feeding field. Ingeneral, sippy cups are a type of spill-resistant container typicallymade for children that include a cup body and a screw-on or snap-on lidhaving a drinking spout thereon. A flow control element is oftenprovided that mates with or otherwise is received on or in the sippy cuplid to control the flow of liquid through the drinking spout and toprevent leakage when the sippy cup is tipped over when not in use. Whilesippy cups having flow control elements of this type have been useful,there are some drawbacks.

For example, one problem associated with prior art sippy cup flowcontrol elements is that depending on the age of the infant, child ortoddler using the sippy cup, or other factors, certain flowcharacteristics (i.e. more flow, less flow, no flow) may be desirable.However, many prior art sippy cup flow control elements do not have anyability to alter flow control characteristics including, if desired,stopping the flow altogether.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a sippy cup incorporating aflow control element that is capable of being adjusted to different flowconditions including, if needed, to a “no-flow” condition.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a sippy cup having a flow controlelement that may be adjusted by a caregiver to provide various desiredflow control conditions for a sippy cup drinking spout. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to a sippy cup comprising aflow control element having multiple flow controllers thereon, each flowcontroller providing a different flow condition.

More specifically, the present disclosure may comprise a sippy cupassembly having a lid, a body, and a flow control element wherein thelid has a spout thereon, the flow control element controls the flow ofliquid therethrough, and the lid may be selectively and releasablyattached to the body while providing a seal therewith to compose thecompleted sippy cup assembly. The flow control element disclosed maypreferably shaped and sized to be received by an engagement feature onthe underside of the lid. The lid preferably includes a spout thereonhaving at least one engagement feature depending therefrom for engaginga flow control element. The spout includes at least one, although it mayinclude many, egress openings extending therethrough from the outersurface and the flow control element comprises at least 3 separate flowcontrollers, but could include more, each of which provides separateflow conditions to a user thereof. Some example flow conditions that canbe provided include low flow, medium flow, high flow and no-flow. Theflow controllers may comprise cylindrical-shaped projections that areshaped and sized to be frictionally received in the engagementfeature(s). The flow controllers may include holes, slits, hatching,crosses, etc., to provide a desired flow rate for egress of liquid fromthe body through the flow controllers into the spout and to the userthereof. Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a sippy cupassembly including a flow control element having at least 3 caregiverselectable flow conditions associated therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the sippy cupassembly disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 is an underside perspective view of an embodiment of a lidoperable in connection with the sippy cup assembly illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a flow control element operable inconnection with the sippy cup assembly illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the flow control element of FIG. 3 takenacross line 3-3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the flow control element of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the assembled version of the sippy cupassembly of FIG. 1 taken across line 1-1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this disclosure is susceptible of embodiments in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail a preferred embodiment of the disclosure and is not intended tolimit the broad aspect of the disclosure to the embodiments illustrated.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, there is illustrated a sippy cup assembly 10, ofwhich lid 12 and body 14 are part. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sippycup assembly 10 generally comprises a body 14 for retaining a liquid(not shown), a lid 12 enclosing an open end 16 of the body 14. The lid12 may be releasably coupled to the open end 16 of the body 14, a flowcontrol element 20 being shaped and sized to be frictionally nestedwithin at least one flow control element engagement feature 22 dependingfrom an underside 24 of the lid 12. The body 14 may be formed and/orinclude a gripping surface 18 on an outer portion thereof to facilitategripping thereof by a user. In an embodiment consistent with thedisclosure, a second engagement feature 26 may depend from an undersideof the lid 12. The flow control element 20 may be comprised ofelastomeric or non-elastomeric materials. The flow control element 20 isused to slow and/or prevent the spillage of liquid from the body 14through the lid 12.

Specifically with regard to the lid 12, the lid 12 includes an outersurface 30, preferably having a spout 32 thereon, and an underside 24having at least one engagement feature depending 22 therefrom forengaging a flow control element 20. The spout 32 includes at least one,although it may include many, egress openings 34 extending therethroughfrom the outer surface 30 through the underside 24 of the lid 12, thespout 32 defining a corresponding inner cavity to facilitate the flow ofa liquid from the container body 14 of the sippy cup assembly 10 to auser thereof. As is known to those having skill in the art, and tocounteract the buildup of negative pressure resulting from liquidleaving the spout 32, the lid 12 may further comprise a vent opening 36formed through the outer surface 30 of lid 12 through to the underside24 of the lid 12. Specifically, the vent opening 36 allows air ingressfrom the atmosphere to the sippy cup body 14 when the sippy cup assembly10 is in use.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated best in FIG.2, the underside 24 of the lid 12 may include circumferential flange 40depending therefrom on which an engagement feature 42, such as threads,may be formed to releasably couple the lid 12 to an open end 16 of thecup body 14. In such an embodiment, the open end 16 of the cup body 14may preferably include a corresponding engagement feature 44, whichcooperates with the circumferential flange 40 engagement feature 42 toallow the lid 12 to be releasably secured to the cup body 14 to create aseal between the lid 12 and the body 14. As discussed above, the lid 12underside 14 includes at least one flow control element 20 engagementfeature 22 depending therefrom shaped and sized to frictionally engage acorresponding feature, such as a flow controller, on the flow controlelement 20. Consistent herewith, the lid 12 may be composed of anysuitable materials but is preferably composed of rigid or semi-rigidmaterial plastic material, such as polypropylene, by a method such asinjection molding or blow molding. Of course, other materials andmethods may be used as would be known by those of ordinary skill in theart.

As discussed above, and as shown best in FIGS. 2-5, the underside 24 ofthe lid 12 includes at least one engagement feature 22 to engage acorresponding engagement feature on the flow control element 20. Inconnection with an embodiment of the disclosure disclosed herein, theflow control element 20 includes flow controllers 50, 52, 54, 56thereon. The flow controllers 50, 52, 54, 56 may comprise flowcontrollers providing a low flow 50, a medium flow 52, a high flow 54and a no-flow 56 condition. The flow controllers 50, 52, 54, 56 maycomprise cylindrical-shaped protrusions that are shaped and sized to befrictionally received in the engagement features 22, 26. Consistent withembodiments of the disclosure, the flow controllers 50, 52, 54, 56 maybe circumferentially arranged on a base section 58 of the flow controlelement 20 and may be formed of an elastomeric material. The flowcontrol element 20 may include a thumb tab 60 for facilitating removaland manipulation of the flow control element 20 by a caregiver. Indicia51, 53, 55, 57 may be provided on the base section 58 of the flowcontrol element to provide an indication of flow controller flowconditions, i.e. low 51, medium 53, high 55 and no 57 flow.

The flow controllers 50, 52, 54, 56 may include holes, slits, hatching,crosses, etc., therethrough to provide a desired flow rate for egress ofliquid from the body 14 through the flow controllers 50, 52, 54 into thespout 32 and to the user thereof. The shapes, sizes, geometries, etc.for providing a desired flow rate is known in the art and will not beexhaustively disclosed herein. However, for illustrative purposes, aflow controller 50 desired to produce a low flow condition may beprovided with three holes therethrough having a diameter of roughly 0.8mm to 1.2 mm. Correspondingly, a flow controller 52 desired to provide amedium flow condition may be provided with five holes therethroughhaving similar diameters. Further, a flow controller 54 desired toprovide a high flow condition may be provided with 9 holes therethroughhaving similar diameters. Finally, a flow controller 56 desired toprovide a no-flow condition has no holes or apertures therein.

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a sippy cup assembly 10including a flow control element 20 having at least 3 caregiverselectable flow conditions associated therewith. The caregiver canselect, for example, a low flow condition by removing the flow controlelement 20 from the lid 12 by pulling on the thumb tab 60 anddisengaging the flow control element 20 from the engagement feature 22and, if used, engagement feature 26. The caregiver may then select thelow flow controller 50 and press it into the engagement feature 22 and,if present, press flow controller 54 into engagement feature 26. Thecaregiver may then fill the body 14 of the sippy cup assembly 10 withliquid, attach the lid 12 to the body 14 using the engagement features42, 44, and provide the sippy cup assembly 10 to the user thereof. Next,when suction is applied to the spout 32 by the user, a negative pressureis created in the spout 32, thereby allowing the flow of liquid to theuser. Simultaneously, upon suction, atmospheric air is allowed toingress via vent opening 36 creating equilibrium within the body 14 withrespect to the external atmosphere. In a similar manner, other flowconditions may be selected by the caregiver including, if desired, ano-flow condition.

Following from the above description it should be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses hereindescribed constitute exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, itis understood that the disclosure is not limited to these precisemethods and apparatuses and that changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sippy cup assembly comprising: a lid having aspout extending from an upper portion thereof, said spout having atleast one liquid egress opening therethrough; a body shaped and sized tohold a liquid therein having an engagement portion thereon for engagingsaid lid to provide a seal between said lid and said body; and a flowcontrol element having at least 3 separate flow controllers thereon,each of said flow controllers adapted to be received between said spoutegress opening and a liquid in said body, each of said flow controllersadapted to provide a different flow condition for a liquid located insaid body leaving said body through said spout egress opening.
 2. Thesippy cup assembly of claim 1 wherein said flow controllers compriseprotrusions extending from said flow control element.
 3. The sippy cupassembly of claim 1 wherein said lid includes at least one engagementfeature depending from a lower portion of said lid shaped to engage atleast a portion of said flow control element.
 4. The sippy cup assemblyof claim 1 wherein said lid includes at least one engagement featuredepending from a lower portion of said lid shaped to engage at least oneof said flow controllers.
 5. The sippy cup assembly of claim 4 whereinsaid engagement between said engagement feature and said flow controlleris frictional engagement.
 6. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 whereinat least one of said flow controllers is adapted to provide a no-flowcondition.
 7. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 wherein said lidincludes a vent opening therein.
 8. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1wherein said flow control element includes a thumb tab protruding from alower portion thereof.
 9. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 wherein saidflow control element includes indicia thereon to provide an indicationof flow conditions provided by respective flow controllers locatedthereon.
 10. The sippy cup assembly of claim 2 wherein said protrusionsare cylindrical in shape.
 11. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 whereinsaid at least one of said flow controllers includes at least 3 holestherethrough.
 12. The sippy cup assembly of claim 11 wherein said holesare between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm in diameter.
 13. The sippy cup assembly ofclaim 1 wherein said flow control element is entirely composed of anelastic material.
 14. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 wherein said lidincludes a circumferential flange having threads thereon shaped toengage corresponding threads located on said body.
 15. A sippy cupassembly comprising: a lid having a spout extending from an upperportion thereof and a circumferential flange having threads thereon,said spout having at least one liquid egress opening therethrough; abody shaped and sized to hold a liquid therein having an upper portionhaving threads thereon shaped to engage corresponding threads located onsaid circumferential flange of said lid to provide a seal between saidlid and said body; and a flow control element having at least 3 separateflow controllers thereon, each of said flow controllers comprising aprotrusion extending from an upper portion of said flow control elementand adapted to be frictionally received by an engagement featuredepending from a lower portion of said lid between said spout egressopening and a liquid in said body, each of said flow controllers adaptedto provide a different flow condition for a liquid located in said bodyleaving said body through said spout egress opening.
 16. The sippy cupassembly of claim 15 wherein at least one of said flow controllers isadapted to provide a no-flow condition.
 17. The sippy cup assembly ofclaim 15 wherein said flow control element includes indicia thereon toprovide an indication of flow conditions provided by respective flowcontrollers located thereon.
 18. The sippy cup assembly of claim 15wherein said flow control element includes a thumb tab protruding from alower portion thereof.
 19. The sippy cup assembly of claim 1 whereinsaid at least one of said flow controllers includes at least 3 holestherethrough and wherein said holes are between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm indiameter.
 15. A sippy cup assembly comprising: a lid having a spoutextending from an upper portion thereof, a vent hole therethrough, and acircumferential flange having threads thereon, said spout having atleast one liquid egress opening therethrough; a body shaped and sized tohold a liquid therein having an upper portion having threads thereonshaped to engage corresponding threads located on said circumferentialflange of said lid to provide a seal between said lid and said body; anda flow control element having at least 3 separate flow controllersthereon, each of said flow controllers comprising a protrusion extendingfrom an upper portion of said flow control element and adapted to befrictionally received by an engagement feature depending from a lowerportion of said lid between said spout egress opening and a liquid insaid body, each of said flow controllers adapted to provide a differentflow condition for a liquid located in said body leaving said bodythrough said spout egress opening and one of said controllers adapted toprovide a no-flow condition.